Home >> Collecting >> Stamp Collecting

How to Identify Grilled Stamps

Grilled stamps were produced from 1867 to 1875 in the United States as a response to a sort of economic stimulus package during and after the Civil War. People were hoarding coins, so to keep the economy moving, stamps were declared as currency. There was fear that people would wash out stamp cancels and reuse the stamps as money, so the grilling system was invented by Charles Steel. A pattern of little pyramid-shaped imprints was deeply imprinted on stamps, probably with a metal roller that broke the paper fibers. When the stamp was canceled, the ink was deeply absorbed and could not be removed.

Things You'll Need

Stamp forceps
U.S. Scott stamp catalogue
Millimeter rule
Magnifying glass (optional)
Bright light (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Identify the stamp that possesses the grill by its U.S. Scott catalogue number. Use the stamp forceps to handle stamps. If the stamp is entirely smooth and lacks the puffy little embossed pyramids, it does not have a grill.
- 2
  Measure the grilled area on the stamp with the millimeter rule. Write down the vertical and horizontal measurements.
- 3
  Note whether the pyramid shapes on the grills have their points going up or down. Write that next to the measurement. The only two grill types that have the points up are the B and C grill types. If the grill is 18 by 15 mm with points up on a U.S. Scott 82, it is a B grill. If the grill size is 13 by 16mm on U.S. Scott 83, it is a C grill.
- 4
  Look to see if the ridges are horizontal or vertical. There is only one grill type that has horizontal ridges, the Z grill, which occurred on U.S. Scott 85A, 85B, 85C, 85D, 85E and 85F.
- 5
  Compare the stamps with vertical ridges and points down with the following list of grill size and U.S. Scott numbers to determine the grill types: A grill covers the entire stamp on U.S. Scott 79-81; D grill, 12 by 14mm on U.S. Scott 84-85; E grill, 11 by 13mm on U.S. Scott 86-91; F grill, 9 by 13mm on U.S. Scott 92-101; G grill, 9.5 by 9mm on U.S. Scott 112-133; H grill, 10 by 12mm on U.S. Scott 134-144; I grill, 8.5 by 10mm on U.S. Scott 134-138; J grill, 7 by 9.5mm on U.S. Scott 156e, 157c,158e, 159b, 160a, 161c, 162a, 165a, 178c, and 179c.

Stamp Collecting